Trace elements determined in soil profiles collected in Taiçupeba reservoir, State of São Paulo

• Grant number: 16/02735-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2016
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Regina Damatto
• Grantee: Andrei Martins Surkov
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Reservoirs or dams are aquatic ecosystems mainly formed by the damming of rivers, and therefore, they are considered artificial lakes. Most of these Brazilian dams resulted from the division of many rivers in dams, such as the Rio Grande and Rio Tiete in São Paulo. Currently, there are more than 55 dams of medium and large -sized in the state of São Paulo, covering an area of approximately 5500 km2. The quality of water stored in a reservoir has become very important in recent decades due to increased environmental degradation of the soil around or near the reservoirs, the construction of houses on its banks and to the various uses thereof. The soil and human activities upstream of the reservoirs are factors that can influence the water quality of it. This work aims to study the soil of the influence area of Taiaçupeba reservoir, collected in profiles around it determining the concentration of trace elements As, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, I, Fe, Hf, K, La Lu, Na, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb and Zn using the analytical technique of instrumental neutron activation analysis. The Taiaçupeba reservoir is located on the border of Suzano and Mogi das Cruzes; it is one of five reservoirs that make up the Production System of the High Tiete - SPAT. As a secondary objective, and to assist in the interpretation of results obtained, it will also be determined the particle size composition of the collected soil samples. This scientific research work is part of a larger project in partnership with CETESB (Environmental Sanitation Technology Company) which will be determined the concentrations of natural radionuclides of the series of 238U and 232Th, trace and major elements in soil samples, water and sediment collected in reservoirs Ponte Nova, Taiaçupeba and Jundiaí, in the state of São Paulo, with the main objective of assessing the water quality of these important reservoirs at state of São Paulo.